Cabinet minister John Abbott is the first person to formally step forward to run for the provincial Liberal leadership.

Abbott, who until recently was considering a run in the next federal election, changed his mind when Premier Andrew Furey made his shock resignation announcement last week.

John Hogan has signaled his interest in the leadership, and while he stepped down as health minister to sit in the back benches, he has yet to formally announce whether he intends to run.

Meanwhile, fellow cabinet ministers Siobhan Coady, Andrew Parsons and Steve Crocker have all said they will not be running for the provincial Liberal leadership.